Methods and apparatus for providing time valid location based information

Abstract

A computer-implemented method can provide time-valid location-based information. The method comprises: for an environment, defining a plurality of cells, each cell comprising: a respective location with a range based on a geographical extent of the respective cell within the environment; a respective predetermined validity-time-interval; respective semantic-location-data relevant to the respective location; respective executable code instructions configured to operate on the respective semantic-location-data to enable determination of respective time-valid location-based information upon execution of the respective code instructions by a first edge computing apparatus proximal to the respective location. The respective time-valid location-based information is valid within the respective predetermined validity-time-interval.

1 . A computer-implemented method for providing time-valid location-based information, the method comprising:
 for an environment, defining a plurality of cells, each cell comprising:
 a respective location with a range based on a geographical extent of the respective cell within the environment; 
 a respective predetermined validity-time-interval; 
 respective semantic-location-data relevant to the respective location; 
 respective executable code instructions configured to operate on the respective semantic-location-data to enable determination of respective time-valid location-based information upon execution of the respective code instructions by a first edge computing apparatus proximal to the respective location; 
   wherein the respective time-valid location-based information is valid within the respective predetermined validity-time-interval.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first edge computing apparatus is configured to execute the respective code instructions on the respective semantic-location-data to generate a signed certificate comprising the respective time-valid location-based information for the cell;   a second edge computing apparatus proximal to the respective location is configured to:
 execute the respective code instructions on the respective semantic-location-data to generate validation information; and 
 when the signed certificate matches the validation information to within a predetermined threshold, validate the signed certificate to provide a validated signed certificate. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein, for a respective cell of the plurality of cells:
 the respective semantic-location-data comprises presence-data representative of a first-indication-of-presence of a client-device within the geographic extent of the respective cell;   the signed certificate is representative of the first-indication-of-presence of the client-device within the geographic extent of the respective cell;   the validation information is representative of a second-indication-of-presence of the client-device within the geographic extent of the respective cell;   the signed certificate matches the validation information when an overlap between the first-indication-of-presence and the second-indication-of-presence satisfies an overlap criterion; and   when the signed certificate matches the validation information, the validated signed certificate comprises location-data representative of the location of the client-device within the respective cell.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising, when the validated signed certificate comprises location-data representative of the location of the client-device within the respective cell, providing the client-device with access to cell-information relevant to the respective cell. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises:
 a first cell;   a second cell;   a third cell; and   wherein:
 the first cell is related to the second cell by a first mapping; 
 the second cell is related to the third cell by a second mapping; 
 the first cell is related to the third cell by a third mapping comprising a product of the first mapping with the second mapping; and 
 the third cell comprises a union of the first cell and the second cell. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises:
 a first cell;   a second cell;   a third cell;   wherein the third cell is formed from an operation on the first cell and the second cell.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the operation comprises at least one of:
 a union of the first cell and the second cell; 
 an intersection of the first cell and the second cell; 
 a relative complement of the first cell in the second cell; 
 a symmetric difference of the first cell and the second cell; 
 a distance between the first cell and the second cell; and 
 a selection of a pair of points from the first cell and the second cell respectively, 
 wherein the operation relates to: (i) the geographical extent; (ii) the predetermined validity-time-interval; or (iii) a combination of the geographical extent and the predetermined validity-time-interval, of the first cell and of the second cell. 
 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein, when a validated signed certificate comprises location-data representative of a presence of a first-client-device within the first cell, providing the first-client-device access to one or more of:
 second-semantic-location-data relevant to the second cell;   a second-device within the second cell;   third-semantic-location-data relevant to the third cell; and   a third-device within the third cell.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the third cell comprises an intermediate-cell, different than the first cell and the second cell, the method comprising:
 when the validated signed certificate comprises location-data representative of a presence of the first-client-device within the first cell, providing first-cell-functionality to the first-client-device; and   when the validated signed certificate comprises an intermediate signed certificate that comprises intermediate-location-data representative of a presence of the first-client-device within the intermediate cell, providing an intermediate-cell-functionality to the first-client-device, wherein the intermediate-cell-functionality is different than the first-cell-functionality.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 defining a blockchain operative on an edge computing network comprising the first edge computing apparatus;   defining a smart contract for a cell of the plurality of cells, wherein the smart contract comprises (i) the respective executable code instructions for the cell, and (ii) a scope configured to define an executability condition for the respective executable code instructions;   executing, using the first edge computing apparatus, the smart contract on the respective semantic-location-data for the cell to provide a signed certificate comprising the respective time-valid location-based information for the cell; and   writing the signed certificate into the blockchain.   
     
     
         16 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the edge computing network comprises the second edge computing apparatus, the method comprising:
 executing, using the second edge computing apparatus, the smart contract on the respective semantic-location-data to provide validation information; and   when the validation information matches the signed certificate to within a predetermined threshold, writing a validated signed certificate, comprising the respective time-valid location-based information, to the blockchain.   
     
     
         27 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A system configured to provide time-valid location-based information for an environment comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising:
 a respective location with a range based on a geographical extent of the respective cell within the environment;   a respective predetermined validity-time-interval;   respective semantic-location-data relevant to the respective location;   respective executable code instructions configured to operate on the respective semantic-location-data to enable determination of respective time-valid location-based information;   wherein the system comprises:
 a first edge computing apparatus proximal to the respective location of the respective cell of the plurality of cells, the first edge computing apparatus configured to execute the respective code instructions to enable determination of the respective time-valid location-based information, and wherein the respective time-valid location-based information is valid within the respective predetermined validity-time-interval. 
   
     
     
         32 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory memory device including one or more computer code instructions configured to provide time-valid location-based information by:
 for an environment, defining a plurality of cells, each cell comprising:
 a respective location with a range based on a geographical extent of the respective cell within the environment; 
 a respective predetermined validity-time-interval; 
 respective semantic-location-data relevant to the respective location; 
 respective executable code instructions configured to operate on the respective semantic-location-data to enable determination of respective time-valid location-based information upon execution of the respective code instructions by a first edge computing apparatus proximal to the respective location; 
   wherein the respective time-valid location-based information is valid within the respective predetermined validity-time-interval.   
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory device including instructions, the memory device and the instructions configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to provide time-valid location-based information for an environment comprising a plurality of cells, each cell comprising:
 a respective location with a range based on a geographical extent of the respective cell within the environment;   a respective predetermined validity-time-interval;   respective semantic-location-data relevant to the respective location;   respective executable code instructions configured to operate on the respective semantic-location-data to enable determination of respective time-valid location-based information upon execution of the respective code instructions by a first edge computing apparatus proximal to the respective location;   wherein the respective time-valid location-based information is valid within the respective predetermined validity-time-interval.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises:
 a first cell;   a second cell;   a third cell; and   wherein:
 the first cell is related to the second cell by a first mapping; 
 the second cell is related to the third cell by a second mapping; 
 the first cell is related to the third cell by a third mapping comprising a product of the first mapping with the second mapping; and 
 the third cell comprises a union of the first cell and the second cell. 
   
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises:
 a first cell;   a second cell;   a third cell;   wherein the third cell is formed from an operation on the first cell and the second cell.   
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the operation comprises at least one of:
 a union of the first cell and the second cell; 
 an intersection of the first cell and the second cell; 
 a relative complement of the first cell in the second cell; 
 a symmetric difference of the first cell and the second cell; 
 a distance between the first cell and the second cell; and 
 a selection of a pair of points from the first cell and the second cell respectively, 
 wherein the operation relates to: (i) the geographical extent; (ii) the predetermined validity-time-interval; or (iii) a combination of the geographical extent and the predetermined validity-time-interval, of the first cell and of the second cell. 
 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein, when a validated signed certificate comprises location-data representative of a presence of a first-client-device within the first cell, the apparatus is further caused to provide the first-client-device access to one or more of:
 second-semantic-location-data relevant to the second cell;   a second-device within the second cell;   third-semantic-location-data relevant to the third cell; and   a third-device within the third cell.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the third cell comprises an intermediate-cell, different than the first cell and the second cell, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 when the validated signed certificate comprises location-data representative of a presence of the first-client-device within the first cell, provide first-cell-functionality to the first-client-device; and   when the validated signed certificate comprises an intermediate signed certificate that comprises intermediate-location-data representative of a presence of the first-client-device within the intermediate cell, provide an intermediate-cell-functionality to the first-client-device, wherein the intermediate-cell-functionality is different than the first-cell-functionality.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the first edge computing apparatus is configured to execute the respective code instructions on the respective semantic-location-data to generate a signed certificate comprising the respective time-valid location-based information for the cell;   a second edge computing apparatus proximal to the respective location is configured to:
 execute the respective code instructions on the respective semantic-location-data to generate validation information; and 
 when the signed certificate matches the validation information to within a predetermined threshold, validate the signed certificate to provide a validated signed certificate. 
   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein, for a respective cell of the plurality of cells:
 the respective semantic-location-data comprises presence-data representative of a first-indication-of-presence of a client-device within the geographic extent of the respective cell;   the signed certificate is representative of the first-indication-of-presence of the client-device within the geographic extent of the respective cell;   the validation information is representative of a second-indication-of-presence of the client-device within the geographic extent of the respective cell;   the signed certificate matches the validation information when an overlap between the first-indication-of-presence and the second-indication-of-presence satisfies an overlap criterion; and   when the signed certificate matches the validation information, the validated signed certificate comprises location-data representative of the location of the client-device within the respective cell.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein when the validated signed certificate comprises location-data representative of the location of the client-device within the respective cell, the system is further configured to provide the client-device with access to cell-information relevant to the respective cell. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises:
 a first cell;   a second cell;   a third cell; and   wherein:
 the first cell is related to the second cell by a first mapping; 
 the second cell is related to the third cell by a second mapping; 
 the first cell is related to the third cell by a third mapping comprising a product of the first mapping with the second mapping; and 
 the third cell comprises a union of the first cell and the second cell. 
   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises:
 a first cell;   a second cell;   a third cell;